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Saturday, July 14, 2012

Former Police Officer of Puerto Rico Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Role in Providing Security for Drug Transactions

WASHINGTON—A former police officer of
Puerto Rico was sentenced today in San Juan to 40 years in prison for his role
in providing security for drug transactions, announced Assistant Attorney General
Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent
in Charge Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s San Juan Division.

Javier A. Diaz Castro, 30, was sentenced
by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi for the District of Puerto Rico.

Diaz was convicted on December 12, 2011,
of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five
kilograms of cocaine, two counts of attempting to possess with the intent to
distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, and two counts of possession of
a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction. Diaz was charged in an
indictment unsealed on October 6, 2010, along with 88 other law enforcement
officers in Puerto Rico and 44 other individuals, as part of the FBI undercover
operation known as Guard Shack. To date, 128 of the charged defendants have
pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial, including Diaz.

According to the evidence presented in
court, on at least two occasions in 2010, Diaz provided security for what he
believed were a series of illegal drug deals, but which, in fact, were part of
the undercover FBI operation. Diaz, a 10-year veteran of the police force, was
assigned to the frauds unit at the time of the transactions. According to
information presented at trial, Diaz was brought into the scheme by another
police officer of Puerto Rico.

In return for the security he provided,
based on his departmental training and using his service weapon, Diaz received
cash payments of $2,000 per transaction.

The case was prosecuted by Trial
Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Barak Cohen of the Public Integrity Section in the
Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The case was investigated by the FBI.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico also participated in
the investigation and prosecution of this case.